Modi asks ‘sick’ Sonia Gandhi to give way to Rahul

Even a notice from the Election Commission regarding his ‘khooni panja’ remark has not stemmed the tide of provocative comments from Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. During five rallies in Chhattisgarh on Thursday, Modi launched a fresh wave of invectives.

“Madam (Sonia Gandhi) and Shehzada (Rahul Gandhi) came here, and said ‘we gave money’ (to the Chhattisgarh government),” Modi told a crowd in Raipur. “I want to ask the Shehzada, did the money come from his ‘Mama’s (uncle’s) house?” That Gandhi was his chosen target was made amply clear. Without naming Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, he added, “Madam, you are ill. Let the shehzada take over”.

The fact that the Congress has not named any chief ministerial candidate also drew flak from the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. The party, he indicated, was shy of announcing the name of Ajit Jogi. “Why is the Congress keeping it a secret? Daal me kuch kala hai (There’s something wrong in here).”

In Durg, he vented fury over a Maharashtra Congress leader’s demand that Lata Mangeshkar be stripped of her Bharat Ratna for supporting Modi. “Does she not have a right to express her feelings?” he demanded.

Even the Samajwadi Party was not spared. Taking on Naresh Aggarwal’s comment that a tea vendor cannot have national perspective, Modi said, “The party discriminates between classes and makes the poor a butt of jokes”.

In Delhi, the Congress was quick to hit back. “Only a beast in the disguise of a human can taunt over somebody’s illness. It is evident that he is mentally sick,” tweeted Shakeel Ahmed. “We know Modi has no decency, but he should at least think of the dignity of the party which has made him its PM candidate and apologise,” added Congress spokesman Meem Afzal.